Pop-Culturalist.com

She’s a powerhouse on stage and an absolute joy to speak to – A Bronx Tale’s leading lady Ariana DeBose is taking over the world. With incredible dexterity and a voice to match, this star has appeared in Broadway favorites such as Pippin, Motown: The Musical, and Hamilton. Although she can be found at the Longacre Theatre eight times a week, Ariana took the time to tell us what types of roles attract her, why collaborating with choreographer Sergio Trujillo was a blast and what founding father she wishes she could portray in Hamilton.

A Bronx Tale is a story about love, with the caveats that arise from racial tension and fear. Ariana portrays Jane, a young woman of color who falls in love with the show’s white, Italian protagonist Calogero.

PC: Unfortunately, the show is relevant to our society today even though it was set in the 1960s due to certain circumstances. Why do you think it’s so important to represent not only a young woman but a person of color on stage every night?

Ariana: I think it’s really important we’re doing the show right now because it holds up a mirror for our audiences. It’s a great reminder of where we were, who we were, how we treated each other, and how we should keep moving forward away from that. There is a moment in the show where a grown white man yells at me for just being in his neighborhood, because I’m black. That feeling every night, it’s a very hard one to allow in because there are people in this country that some of our citizens believe just don’t belong—people who are citizens of our country. That’s a sad reality; ultimately, that’s not who we are. We have to choose love over fear. We have to accept people. There is good and bad in every kind, but we’re all equal. I think those are the great parts of our story that make it so relevant, and make it so important to be telling right now; that’s what theater does. Theatre is a mirror for society. It’s supposed to serve as a great reminder of the past, the present and the future—what can be and what shouldn’t be.

PC: I think the show does a great job of showing the best in people and really showing the power of cooperating with each other and also loving each other.

Ariana: Yes. You got it! I’m so glad that’s what you took away from the show.

PC: In the film, Calogero and Jane are very comfortable with their bodies and themselves as individuals but when together, we see an anxious and intense desire that causes a little bit of awkwardness between them. How did you and Bobby Conte Thornton manage to have such great chemistry and be able to emulate those feelings we see in the film so well on stage?

Ariana:  You know, I think chemistry is chemistry. You can’t really predict it. It’s a very good thing that he and I have it, because we didn’t actually audition together. We did a little reading together of the script with our directors before the rest of the companies joined us. That was the first time I had met him. What makes it easy for us is every night is we have to fall in love with each other again. Sometimes we accomplish that by not talking to each other much, and sometimes we set aside a time to have a full conversation about what happened in our day. It just depends on the energy that’s in the building, how we’re feeling that day; in general, what is helpful to us is that we focus on falling in love with each other in the moment again and again.

PC: I noticed both of you did really well in keeping that shyness and a little bit of innocence as well for both of the characters.

Ariana: Yeah, because they don’t know each other. They see each other at school. It’s one thing to see a person and another thing to know a person. What I love about that first scene is there’s some questions that he asks while they’re really first talking to each other in that moment, that are somewhat invasive. “You got a job?” “Yeah! Yes, I have a job.” You know what I mean? That’s not necessarily the first thing that you’re going to ask a person when you meet them. I think the writing lends itself, helping us maintain that awkwardness and the shyness of two teenagers liking each other.

PC: In act 2, the Webster Avenue crew introduces themselves to the audience with an incredible stepping number. When learning the choreography, did you and Sergio Trujillo collaborate in any way and how did you physically prepare to perform such a demanding number eight times a week?

Ariana: Sergio is absolutely wonderful. He’s one of my biggest champions. He’s very collaborative. We all had input in how we created the number; what felt best, what was more interesting to us…he was very receptive to all of that. He and I did talk about how Jane could really come through in that number. How could her spirit really just shine? He knows I started as a dancer. He and I have a great communicative relationship. He can just say, “Oh, what about this turn here? What about a jump?” We went through a couple of different versions of the ending before he finally settled on something. That was a really fun part of the process. When you’re able to speak someone’s language, it keeps it that much more interesting. It’s almost like being able to complete someone’s sentence. I do that for him and he does that for me, which is what makes our connection very special. How do I prepare? There’s a lot of stretching of the hamstrings and the quads. I didn’t realize how hard stomping was! I was thinking I was getting a job that didn’t have much demanding physicality to it. I was 100% wrong. Stepping is a very unique genre of dance. There is definitely a right and a wrong way to do it. There’s a healthy way to do it and an unhealthy way to do it. There’s a lot of stretching, a lot of calf work; you would not believe the amount of ankle rolls I have to do! Things like that help me prepare for it.

PC: A Bronx Tale is a story about being a part of a tight-knit community. How did you and your cast mates become your own community?

Ariana: We bonded fairly quickly, even with Janelle (McDermouth) coming in very recently. We’ve all scooped her up into our unit. We have a little group text we call the Webster Crew. We can check on each other, if anybody needs anything. I’ve shared my entire medical team contact information, like my acupuncturist, my chiropractor, things like that. We use it to set up lunch dates. We have a yoga group. We go to Bikram together. We find things that we can do together that essentially make us a family group, a family unit. I know as far as our company, our company has a giant group text as well. We can switch PT slots if we need to; things like that; little things that keep us connected. For example, Joey Sorge went on last night for Richard Blake for the first time. We sent him so much love before the show through our texts. You know what I mean? It’s the easiest way to connect with each other. We also do a lot of in-house things. We’re really great about celebrating birthdays. We have a fantastic birthday club. Everybody gets their favorite birthday dessert on their special day. Chazz (Palminteri) is such a wonderful sort of father figure for our company. He’ll pop by with cannolis or any little treat, or just to say “hi” and let us know he’s thinking about us. We have this incredible support system that starts from the top. We’re a very fortunate company to have that. Even while Jerry Zaks is off working Hello, Dolly!, he’ll text our stage manager and leave us a message. It’s just bits of support. We find any way to support each other we possibly can.

PC: There’s been a discussion about gender-blind casting for Hamilton led by fans who would love to see a woman portray Alexander Hamilton. If you could return to the show and be cast as any founding father in Hamilton, who would you choose and why?

Ariana: That’s interesting. Typically, my answer’s Thomas Jefferson. You know, I’m not quite sure. The show is magnificent in its structure and each of the Founding Fathers have a beautiful moment. I don’t know that I would want the stress of playing Alexander Hamilton because it’s quite a heavy load to bear. You know, I wouldn’t mind playing George Washington. It’s a majestic role. There’s so much honor wrapped up in that role the way it’s written. You accept the good and the bad within that particular character. I think that’s really admirable.

PC: You’ve had the opportunity to portray a lot of great characters on stage, two of them being Mary Wilson from The Supremes in Motown: The Musical and Leading Player in Pippin. Would you want to reprise any of your past roles or do you have any dream roles?

Ariana: I wouldn’t necessarily say I’d like to reprise any of my past roles. I’m all about moving forward. I love roles that were built around Chita Rivera or Ann Reinking. Those great dance legends. Charlotte D’Amboise is my mentor. I think the world of her and what she was able to accomplish with her career, which she is still doing now. I think she brought something so new to Roxie Hart when she was playing that role in Chicago. I think that’s a role I would like to take a stab at at some point. Those are the roles that I like, that I gravitate towards; roles that portray strong, yet varied and layered women. I like complicated women. There’s something very complicated about Jane. That’s sort of why I said “yes” to this job. I don’t know that I necessarily have a dream role, to answer that specifically. I think my dream roles have yet to be written. I’m hoping for the day that there’s a character that we see on Broadway that is just 100%, no holds barred in any area of her life. We’ll see. 

PC: Do you have any aspirations to write, direct or produce musical theatre? 

Ariana: I don’t know that my talents lie in the field of writing, at least not at this moment in time. One day, I wouldn’t mind producing. I have no problem creating my own work. I think it’s wonderful to… It’s a great outlet for artists anyways. That’s what you have to do. If there’s not work for you, then you create your own. While I may not be writing plays or screenplays, I do dabble in song-writing and things like that. I love to collaborate. If I ever have the opportunity to collaborate with a book writer to write songs for a story that could potentially surround that type of character that I described earlier, I would 100% do that.

PC: With your background in dance, would you like to choreograph a show?

Ariana: I’m at a moment in my life where I don’t necessarily believe in limiting myself. I know that I am a fairly decent choreographer. Would I do it eventually? One hundred percent. I really believe if you put your mind to something, you can accomplish it. Someone once asked me what my dream revival would be to choreograph. My answer was Sweet Charity. I have very specific ideas about revivals. I think sometimes, if it’s not broken, you shouldn’t fix it. But if you have a new way of doing something, revive it; but have a clear vision. I think that’s what makes a really successful revival, as well. I think that, sure, one day I will choreograph Sweet Charity somewhere on this earth; then, I will bring all the things that I’m known for to it. I specialize in contemporary work and hip-hop and musical theatre dance; all of that will be embodied in my work when I get the opportunity to do that project.

Pop Culturalist Speed Round

PC: Guilty pleasure TV show?

Ariana: Right now, it’s A Series of Unfortunate Events on Netflix.

PC: Guilty pleasure movie?

Ariana: There are so many. The Devil Wears Prada is the first one. I love Soap Dish, too.

PC: Favorite book?

Ariana: I love the Harry Potter series because J. K. Rowling is perfect. I also love Tiny Beautiful Things. That’s my other favorite book.

PC: Favorite play or musical?

Ariana: I like most things that I see. I’m that theatre nerd. I do have opinions, but I do like most things that I see. It’s a strange choice, but I might say one of my favorite musical is Follies. I saw the revival with Jan Maxwell and it blew my mind. I don’t know that I have a favorite play. My favorites change. I’m a woman. It’s my prerogative to change my mind!

PC: Favorite social media platform?

Ariana: Instagram. I love photos. I think pictures are worth 1000 words.

PC: A band or artist people would be surprised to learn is on your playlist?

Ariana: Kings of Leon. Not exactly the first thing that you would think of. Of course, I listen to Janelle Monáe. I love a good throwback. I listen to classic Springsteen; literally any good pop 80’s soft rock band is in my iTunes collection.

PC: You were just involved with Broadway Sings: Bowie and Prince so that must’ve been fun for you.

Ariana: It was fantastic. I’m huge fans of both of them. The legacy of work they left behind is just truly incredible. I did a version of “Dancing in the Street.” We were very proud of it.

PC: Hidden talent?

Ariana: I don’t think any of them are hidden. I’m really good at eating ice cream.

Isn’t that the greatest talent to have? If you want to see Ariana in A Bronx Tale, tickets to the show can be purchased here. Make sure to follow her on Twitter and Instagram.

Photo Credit: Ethan Hill